#hocr2014

When I first started rowing on the SRA novice team and began this blog, I would be amazed that it seemed every trip on the water held a life lesson for me. Maybe it's that even when it's not your day, it's a day to be thankful for someone who will point out imperfections to help you improve. Or maybe it's that realization that you are capable of far more than you think you are. Or maybe it was that first regatta where I realized that just showing up every morning, trying a little harder, getting a little better will get you to an amazing, surprising, challenging, exciting place.

Now, just about three years later, I've returned from my first Head of the Charles Regatta and I feel like I've come so, so far and somehow simultaneously have so, so far to go. Why does it seem life is so often like that?! So, rather than give a play-by-play of my HOCR weekend, I thought I'd jot some notes about life lessons I learned through the training, selection and racing this amazing HOCR. 

You really can do more than you ever thought you could. I remember being stunned the first time we rowed together for FOUR WHOLE MINUTES straight -- woohooo! And this summer, I did more 4 and 8 minute seat races than I could count, weekly 2x3K races with plenty of 10-15K workouts on off days. There were certainly moments in those workouts when I thought I'd not make it to the end. Instead, I dug deep, never passed out and didn't die. That is *way* more than I ever thought possible.

Races are won during winter conditioning. Three months of concentrated strength and cardio conditioning and the results were obvious and provided a great base for the on-water training year. PRs on every erg test. Seat races won and a few lost. And with a stronger base, the on-water time could be so much more focused on technique. What a difference it makes in the speed of the boat!

Sometimes life gives you gifts you didn't expect. Make the most of them. I knew in June when I put my name in for HOCR consideration that there was almost no way I'd make the team. I really just put my name down so that I could have a fun summer practicing with the faster rowers, maybe learn something from watching and rowing with them. And then the HOCR lottery gave us a gift - another entry. And I found myself in seat races again. Then my name appeared in the email of the women headed to Boston. At that point, I vowed to ENJOY the moment. Treasure the gift. And, wow, it was incredible.

Blame is toxic. Grace is life-giving. A few weeks before HOCR, our boat was in another regatta: Tail of the Lake. It was a really disappointing day for us. Put simply: we didn't row well. We were not together. The boat felt heavy and we got off the water frustrated that a race would be so much worse than most of our practices. But here's the thing: there was shared disappointment but no blame. There was no finger pointing. There was no gossip. Instead, there was determination, grace for mistakes and words of encouragement. We got to practice on Monday and worked hard and rowed well and moved on. And when we got to Boston, we rowed the absolute best 20 minutes we had ever rowed together and we had a blast doing it. I'm completely convinced that our reaction to that earlier race was key in that success.

Your words matter. When I think over those few days in Boston, the most encouraging moments were sparked by the words of the women in my boat, both on and off the water.

There was our stroke, K, whose words were constantly filled with inspiration and pride in our work. "You ladies rock! I'm so proud of you!". We rowed with confidence because of these words.

B's words reminded me that we are strong because we care for each other, we speak kindly and make sure everyone is included and gets what they need. We rowed together because of B's words.

L's most powerful words to me were spoken into my ear as we sat in the starting area. "The only important stroke is always the next one. Enjoy it. You earned it. Let's kill it!". I rowed with calm determination because of these words.

Our cox, E's words, were perfectly timed words of challenge, with a healthy dose of confidence and inspiration. "We have a great line. We are where we need to be. Now's the time to leave it out here!". We rowed our hearts out worry-free because of her words.

And finally, the strength of your relationships determines not only your success, but your satisfaction with your results. We rose to the challenge in Boston and exceeded our coach's expectations because we rowed together, because we focused on sync'ing with our friends rather than being strong on our own, and we were thrilled with our results not only because of where we placed but because we all knew we had done the absolute best that these five women could have done on that beautiful Boston morning. There is nothing more satisfying!

In short: it was a fantastic weekend that I'll not soon forget!

Last weekend was the Head of the Charles. The biggest rowing competition in the US. And it was a.maz.ing.

As a newbie rower in the whole wondrous thing, though, there were a few things I wish I'd heard or maybe taken to heart before arriving. I thought writing it down now might help someone next year.

Things to bring or plan on buying before you get to the venue:

Toilet paper - porta potties, what can I say?

Hand wipes - there's no running water anywhere

Garbage bags. Big ones. Keep things dry in rain, clean in dirt, etc.

Clothes for warm weather (shorts, t-shirts, etc) and sunscreen

Clothes for cold weather (fleece, gloves, hat) for when it drops 30 degrees in a 24 hour period. Note both #4 and #5 are required REGARDLESS of the weather forecast.

A backpack or something to carry around the regatta when you're not racing

Comfy shoes you can walk for hours and run when needed (e.g. I had to run up the river when one of our boats had an equipment failure. thank goodness I was wearing running shoes at that point)

Snacks that you like that will last the weekend. The food there is not conducive to athlete appetites.

Car charger or battery charger for your phone. You'll be on it all day, particularly if you're using it to navigate the INSANE roads in Boston, so will likely need to charge.

Water to refill personal water bottles. See #2. And buying water is $3 per small bottle at the venue, so you can do that, but not if money is important to you.

A bucket or something for "team shoes" while rowing - nice to have

A roll or two of quarters. Hotel laundry. Tolls. Parking meters.

The venue:

There is a "Boston side" of the river and a "Cambridge side". It's important for many reasons to know which is which. In all honesty, I never figured it out. After all, aren't both sides actually Boston?! If I make the team next year, I'm studying that!

FALS stands for "Finish Area Launch Site". It's the location where boats launch, which is also the finish line area for the race.

All parking areas are filled with trailers, so you park in neighborhoods nearby. Watch those parking signs about when and where you can park as there are plenty of 'permit only' areas that will get you a ticket.

You will likely be at least a 10 min walk from your car, so plan accordingly.

There are food tents, but selection is limited, particularly for pre-race food. You can have the chicken strips and fries after you get off the water!

To get anywhere from the venue will involve traffic. Sometimes lots and lots of traffic. A "20 minute" drive according to your gps could be anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour or more. Don't leave and plan to return if you don't absolutely have to.

There are limited options for meals within walking distance of FALS, though there are food options within 1-2 miles for longer walk or shorter drive.

Things about the warmup and race that would have been nice to know:

It's a dock launch

There are "oar helpers" on the docks to bring and retrieve oars. I think all docks should have these helpful people!

The white buoys are the boundary for the warm up course, the orange buoys are for the race. Crossing either of them results in penalty.

Practicing during the designated times on Friday afternoon is not at all practicing - you'll be in a giant traffic jam on the river.

There are several announcers along the course who will call your team name. Feed off of that energy.

Cheering from the side lines or bridges is definitely audible in the boat. Do it for your team!

The water during the race is pretty crappy. Cross winds, head winds, wakes, you name it and it's constantly changing. Understand it. Embrace it. And don't let it distract you. The most important stroke is your next one!

Stating the obvious, perhaps: it's a head race. You have to go hard the whole way because you have no idea if, for instance, bow number 50 is actually passing boats and getting a time that comes in second, as happened in our event.

 Things about the event as a whole:

It's huge. It's amazing. It's an energy and excitement and stress level unlike anything I've seen since I went to the winter Olympics a few years ago. Just wow.

Some of the energy is stress -- folks have trained hard to get here and that can make people, including yourself and people on your team, a bit more touchy or self-focused than they might otherwise be. Be prepared to give and receive lots of grace and patience.

Stay and watch the races on Sunday. The Great 8's and the collegiate crews are gorgeous (I'm talking some serious eye candy!), powerful, and graceful. Such a privilege to experience them in person and cheer them on!

Take it all in! Embrace it! Love it! Cheer! Cry! Celebrate!

A final surprise: tradition dictates, apparently, that someone in the boat is given the bow number as a memento of the event. As the only newbie, guess what I got to keep?! 

Overall, it was a blast and I hope I have the chance to row the Charles again one day!